Dog saved from S. Africa ‘Big Hole’

JOHANNESBURG – Rescuers on Saturday saved a dog trapped nearly a week down a gigantic artificial crater known as “Big Hole” in central South Africa.

The canine explorer survived a dizzying plunge down the 200-meter-deep hole in Kimberley in Northern Cape province, managing to swim across the lake at the bottom and take refuge on one of its sides.

Kimberley’s main tourist attraction, “Big Hole” is a former diamond mine owned by the De Beers group and is claimed to be the world’s largest hand-dug excavation.

The Labrador-style dog was “doing well,” rescue service spokeswoman Vanessa Jackson said after it was brought to safety.

A team of seven went down into the vast crater, providing support to one another as the last man managed to get the dog, she said. There has been no sign yet from the dog’s owners. “It has been two days of talking about the dog, and nobody came forward at all,” she said.